JW subtitle extractor

As a professor of finance,
I need to be well-informed.
As a Christian,
I also need to be well-informed,
as do all Christians.
It’s difficult not to take sides in politics.
It’s very difficult
because we are aware of the issues.
I always really liked soccer
ever since I was little.
I lived in a poor area,
and soccer was what we used to do for fun.
There was a journalist
that I liked to keep up with.
He would point out both the good
and the bad on all sides of politics.
But when he spoke up and pointed out
only the bad side of a political party,
I did not like that.
I live in the downtown area of the city.
That is where
the largest political demonstrations take place.
People from this area are really into politics.
They have definite opinions.
And even though I always knew
that we must remain neutral,
I secretly approved of the demonstrations.
On the outside,
I wasn’t jumping up and down or cheering,
but on the inside,
I was saying: ‘Come on! Let’s win!’
It was all about the desire, the crowd,
and the pride of your team
having the most victories or the most trophies.
I used to rationalize saying:
“I was created in Jehovah’s image,
and Jehovah is a just God.”
What was speaking was my sense of justice.
I thought neutrality was shown through actions
and not through what I felt.
The April 2016 Watchtower
has interesting information regarding neutrality.
Being neutral means that you
do not consider yourself better than others
because “in God’s sight, all people are equal.”
After studying the article,
I realized that I needed to make changes;
I was not being neutral.
So I read the article again.
I prayed to Jehovah;
I said to him that I knew
it was as if he were speaking to me.
The magazine really touched me deeply.
I remember reading the article
at least three times that evening.
I was really surprised.
I realized how far off I was
from what God wanted me to be on the inside.
The second situation mentioned in the article
had to do with news reports and the media.
The article even suggested that we limit
our intake of news
that we watch related to politics.
There was another phrase
that really moved me.
It said:
‘Even if we don’t march with protesters,
might we be with them in spirit?’
Yes! I was with them. Yes!
There were several phrases in that article
that were written just for me.
When I cut back watching
so many news reports
—and I had to—
this helped me to have self-control
when I spoke to others at work.
When workmates mentioned
something that was in the news,
I didn’t have anything to say
since I hadn’t seen it.
I didn’t know about it.
A workmate would say:
“Did you see that so-and-so said this
and that someone else made a statement?”
I would say:
“No, I didn’t see it,”
and that was the end of the conversation.
The article mentions Romans 10:12
which says that Jehovah
is “Lord over all” of us,
that ‘there is no difference
between Jew and Greek.’
To Jehovah,
it’s not important if my country
has five or six titles
or if it won or lost the World Cup.
To Jehovah, all people are equal.
I took a piece of paper,
just a simple piece of paper,
and I wrote on it the four key points
that the article talks about
—four key points
that will help us to remain neutral.
I keep it in my purse;
that way I can always read it at work.
I like watching soccer; it’s fun.
I still watch it on TV.
I still play soccer with my friends at Bethel,
but I’ve made an effort to change.
Little by little,
I’ve managed to put soccer in its proper place.
This helps me to keep pride
and nationalism from getting the best of me.
I learned from this article
not to express opinions about politics.
That has to come from deep inside.
If I’m convinced
that God’s Kingdom is the best solution
and that there’s nothing that comes even close,
remaining neutral will come naturally.
But I can’t let my guard down.
I really enjoy studying
articles from The Watchtower,
especially those
dealing with practical matters.
They help me see the Bible as if it were
a mirror that shows me where I can improve.
Following counsel
and making the changes
suggested in the article
has helped me to speak
with the conviction
that only the Kingdom
can solve mankind’s problems.

Lessons From The Watchtower—Remain Neutral in a Divided World